Front and back cover file folders are and have been a staple in the office. Developments in file folders have expanded the category substantially. Aside from being used inside of suspension or hanging folders, alternatives have arisen to the file folder. File folders have been made with expanding spines. Additionally, there are dual portfolios having front and back covers, each pocketed. There are file jackets, slash pockets, and wave pockets. These offer closure on three sides. Further, there are project pockets which employ clear poly material tinted in different colors and are closed on two edges. Flap string tie pockets have been made in the same material offering closure on four sides. Additionally, there are xe2x80x9csmart foliosxe2x80x9d. These have front and back covers with no pockets, but on the back cover there are three flaps to provide containment. Smart folios also have elastic strings to close the outside flap across both outside covers or across the outside edge, longitudinally from top to bottom. File folders solely with front and back covers, made of more rigid material have also arisen that have elastics across the same portions.
This invention relates to filing products intending to offer some form of containment other than simply a spine with front and back covers. There are limitations in the containment mechanisms employed thus far.
File jackets and related products closed on two, three, or four sides do not open in book form like traditional file folders. They are really in a different category. Even provided with expansion or made clear, they do not open to allow reordering or shuffling of the contends as traditional file folders do.
Smart folios open like file folders but contain three flaps on the back pocket and elastics that close either or both outer corners. In order to get at the contents to shuffle, the strings must be retracted from the outer edge and the front cover substantially fully opened to 180 degrees to lay open the three flaps on the back panel. This operation is required to shuffle and to file into the contents.
File folders with outer edges closed by elastics also require the elastic withdrawn if the corners are contained, if one is to file into the folder. If a longitudinal elastic is employed, filing can occur without opening.
Although the latter product is essentially open, these products are normally made from opaque material so that another limitation of the prior art is that the file folders have to be substantially opened to determine the contents. Labels serve to establish contents but complete disclosure requires an open operation.
An elastic string can be put on a clear poly file folder of substantial thickness not to curl. This would resolve the xe2x80x9cnonself typingxe2x80x9d limitation of opaque folders. (note: a self typing folder has some means to see the top sheet without an open operation). Such a product would have higher cost which would be a commercial limitation. Further, a full or substantial full open would be the standard mode of use for shuffling since removal of the elastic would typically open three sides.
The object of the present invention is to provide a file folder that opens and closes with a front and back cover as a traditional file folder, is made from traditional paper board, yet offers additional modalities of operation which permit, (1) self typing by one of two structures, (2) shuffle filing without opening while providing at least two sided containment or closure, (3) at least three or four sided closure for transportation and instant shuffling on open without having to lay open any additional panels
It is an object of this invention to provide for a file folder having a clear portion of a front cover, which clear portion permits self-typing, i.e. the recognition of the contents without explicitly placing a label on the folder. It is a further object of this invention to provide a front panel of said file folder wherein a portion of the panel, substantially half, is hinged in order to provide the ability to fold the hinged portion back or inward to expose the contents of the file folder without fully opening the file folder, where open would normally entail the rotation of the front cover substantially 90-180 degrees from the closed(coplanar position of front and rear cover). It is a further object of this invention to provide for a retaining panel along a portion of the back panel side which would be viewed as the bottom edge of the file folder when looking at it, where the leading edge of this retaining panel is substantially at or partially offset from said hinged front panel such that the hinged front panel, when folded backward and into the file folder may be latched behind the retaining panel to lock the front panel in a half open position, thereby forming a containment system, with no other supports for closure than the locking front panel and retaining flap. It is a further object of this invention to provide for such a file folder as detailed above, wherein said file folder is augmented by at least one elastic strapping element, in the form of an elastic string or like member, where said elastic strapping member is retained on the back panel of the file folder so as to be available on the back side of the back panel, to be pulled by way of its elastic properties, over at least one corner of said file folder when said file folder is in its traditionally and/or flap locked closed position. It is further an object of this invention to provide for an additional locking means for allowing the hinged leading edge of the front cover to be retained in a slot on the trailing edge of the front cover to permit it to be retained in a folded open position without need for any auxiliary retaining means to keep it in place. It is further an object of this invention to offer the above defined file folder with a front cover that is fully clear or has a portion removed to provide for a clear, see through feature. It is an object of this invention to provide for retaining flaps of various constructions retaining flaps with expansion portions, and retaining flaps that are recessed from the hinge of said front cover and further comprise step recesses to allow the expansion of the locked members as the file folder is filled with papers. It is an object of this part of the invention to provide for a step wise or smooth expansion of the locked portion in direct ratio to the expansion portion of the spine of the file folder. Further, it is an object of this invention to provide for various means of construction